When I moved to London I had no idea how things would change. Within ten weeks a Vice-Chairman wrote a public email. The email was the outcome of a strategic review. Due to a quirk, there was no input from my product line or operational area.
The email was direct; the message outlined in the six bullets. It started generically. As I read each bullet carefully, I realize in hindsight that I was not prepared for #5. This bullet was specific to my operations. We were going to radically change! The Vice-Chairman was describing an ambitious plan. Within the next 24 weeks, “we” would move hundreds of jobs offshore, redeploy staff, improve service, and saves millions in expense dollars.
The words were so audacious that one was forced to ask questions. What can I do? When can I do it? What will happen if I do it? I knew I could never do it alone, I needed others who believed.
I found three believers. I also had the trust of a partner that was willing to work with me, giving me priceless feedback and holding me accountable. What followed was a story of great achievement, friendships that continue, and a model for dealing with the unknown.
I wake knowing that I am in a period of great unknown. Expectations and fears are high. I do not have an email to respond to, however the equivalent conversations and required presentations and expectations are on the table.
The model then and now transcends across the whole of my life. Spiritually it was articulated centuries ago; “No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us—perfect love!” (1 John 4.12) If we believe in the core of the impossible and work as one, the unimaginable can become a tangible reality.
I know there are believers. I think there is a partner or two. Today is an opportunity to share and celebrate the impossible. We can be a community willing and able reach for more.
